Monday, February 28, 2011

Time Zones...

Going back into the magic of the past...

We've talked before about the retheming of Disney California Adventure, but I thought this time we'd explain it with a visual representation...

While I've talked quite a bit in the past about the new perspective on focusing on the park's representation of the Golden State. That view of California from the perspective of how Walt saw it. Basically, a representation of all the periods in which Disney lived in this state. So the experience is a Disney Experience, in whatever attraction is put in, and the various areas/lands will be made up of seeing a place from the perspective of the time he was here. These are my words, but the Imagineer's intent, just so you know.

The park is divided into the sections of Walt's life from his first entering in the Twenties, to his passing in the Sixties:

Paradise Pier -(1920's) An idealized seaside pier and harbor representing a walk by the shore during the early part of the twentieth Century, just as Walt Disney arrived in the state to realize his dreams. Set during the Post-Victorian/Edwardian Era representing a simpler, but vibrant life for those walking along the golden beaches of the growing and prosperous West Coast.

Buena Vista Street -(1930's) Set during the rising days of Walt's studio and the establishing of it as a major player in Hollywood, the Spanish Revival style will evoke much of what it was like to walk down the sidewalk of Los Angeles during that period.

Hollywood Land -(1940's) Imagined as the way it was viewed during the Golden Era of Hollywood. The Art Deco and movie studio influences are supposed to give you the feeling of being in a nostalgic interpretation of what Tinsel Town was like during this period.

Golden State -(1950's) A representation of the national parks that you would find in the state, like Yosemite or Redwood National Park. Drawing on inspiration from the Real Life series, this area with its woodsy feel and Arts & Crafts architecture invoke a rustic view of what it was like to see rural mid to northern California.

Cars Land -(1960's) Driving down Route 66 in its prime, seeing what it was like to travel through the open desert going down the "Mother Road" as an entryway into California. The end of the American way of life before the highways took over and pushed you past the lands, not through them. And as the sun set on this special time, it also quietly represents the passing of the company's creator.

And as far as A Bug's Land goes, well that happens to be a bridge land set between two others. It represents the lands and valleys that occupy the state, feed our nation and the world, but it doesn't represent a time period. But everything else has it, or will eventually have its own time and feel.

So think of this as a new beginning, not a middle and certainly not an end...

The Muppet theater isn't in Paradise Pier,it's in the Hollywood Backlot, soon to be Hollywood Land. Get a clue.

As for the Muppets, I understand the concept is to make it a park based on thematic periods of Walt's life, but with creations from the company he created. Hence things that the company creates or owns can be attractions and such.

As for your hatred of the Muppets and all things Jim Henson, let's just wait till the holidays and see how that new movie does.

You almost have a clue. Disney didn't create the Muppets, had no input with the Muppets, didn't even support the Muppets like it supported Pixar. So they have NO place in a park about Walt's life. Given your logic, an exhibit about ESPN, something else the current Disney CEOs purchased, ought to be there too.

I don't give a crap about the new Muppet movie, whether it fails or succeeds. Muppets still don't belong in a park about Walt.

I was referring to all the things that Disney owns. Not all of them were created by Disney. Like, Winnie the Pooh for example.

And ESPN was bought by Eisner in the deal for ABC. That brought Iger over, and was based on the recommendation of Staggs.

Perhaps someday you'll get a clue, right now you don't have a "c," much less an "lue."

By your standards, then Pooh shouldn't be there because Walt didn't create it. I've got news for you, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and many others weren't as well. It's what the man and his company did with them, not that he created them.

Walt hated the type of rides that were at parks which the entire family couldn't do. He didn't like the attractions that seemed just for kids. I think people take it too far when they say that he would have hated all of DCA, or even just some of it.

Let's be real, he would have HATED EPCOT, because it was nothing like what he envisioned. California Adventure is becoming a very good park. It may not be Disneyland, but nothing else is Disneyland. And it may not be DisneySEA, but next year it'll be an exciting park for a change. If they continue expanding and improving this will be a very lovely park over the next few years.

"Is the park really being themed to time frames? I thought that it was going to be re themed to streets/roads?"

How is Golden State a street? How is Bugs Land or anything else a street? Hollywood Land is being themed to old Hollywood, the only street in DCA is Buena Vista Street just like the only street in Disneyland is Main Street.

I really wish after Phase 1 is done, the keep the airfield theme with Condor Flats but give it a new name, and theme it also to the 1940's. Give it a Rocketeer airfiel vibe with hints to all the production Walt did during WWII. Maybe even park a larger plane right there in the open space with a cool pin up painted on the front.

I wouldn't mind seeing that Bulldog restaurant from Rocketeer in front of Taste Pilots. There is a little model of that building in the Blue Sky Cellar. Hopefully that idea has been tossed around at WDI. It sure would be a nice blend between a 30's BVS and a 50's Grizzly.

I'm confused as to how the last 60's area represents him and his passing, it would seem if the company wanted to meditate upon this in any way it would be something that represented the unfinished dreams and hopes that Walt had. He was ahead of his time, yet rooted in the past, a man born on the last ebbs of an old world and running gallantly towards the future.

Walt created the unfamily ambience and filth that carnivals created not the idea of carnivals or amusement parks.Even Disneyland had a circusland and carnival area during its early years. Even early concepts of Walts park in the Burbank area before Disneyland was designed and built had a carnival area

Isn't there enough Mickey and friends now in Paradise Pier? Why not change up the Muppets with something unique? The resort still does nothing like Terminator 2 3D, that Disneysea show, or Cinemagique where a character jumps through the screen (literally). Why not create new than clone (isn't that how the park got in this mess in the first place?).

And could we just annex Bug's Land into something else? No one will miss it.

**Yes that's right,because Philharmagic is all about Walt's life and personal creations -- Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, Little Mermaid. All those classics that he was personally involved in.**

Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid and Aladdin are post-Walt Disney classics that were created the same way Walt created his masterpieces: their stories were plussed the Disney way. New characters were added and/or old characters were changed. New story elements were introduced. Music was added. The result was a true Disney classic, and thus the Disney tradition of fresh, inventive, endearing and original interpretations of old or new stories was continued.

There is NOTHING in the Muppets that is Disney in any way, or ever will be. THAT'S why they don't belong. If the new DCA is going to be designed along the lines of Walt's life and accomplishments, then the Muppets have to go because they contributed nothing to that. And they contribute nothing to DCA now. Their attraction is sparsely attended. Philharmagic would fit in much better. Maybe if the Muppet movie flops the Disney CEOs will finally do the right thing and get the Muppet theater out of there and put something Disney in its place. Here's hoping.

Look, MuppetVision 3D is a 20-yr-old attraction, so I don't begrudge anyone who would rather see something newer or fresher. But to simply say it doesn't belong because it's the Muppets or to suggest that it's vastly inferior to a 3D sing-along with Disney's greatest hits is absurd (don't get me wrong, I enjoy Philharmagic quite a bit, but that's essentially what it is).

Cars, Little Mermaid, and A Bug's Life are all featured prominently in DCA and they have nothing to do with "Walt's Life." I think you're viewing the theme a little too dogmatically. MuppetVision was the last film Jim Henson personally directed. Henson was a creative pioneer in the area of family entertainment. Henson/Muppets demonstrate that Walt's creative legacy continues to future generations. See what I did there? I made it fit. Ta-da!

I'm actually sympathetic to the idea of getting rid of the stuff that does feel Disney, but Anonymous doesn't go far enough. Sure, get rid of the Muppets and stall the arrival of the Marvel characters. But also take out the Lucasfilm stuff that isn't related to Disney at all, and then get rid of Pixar, since over half of those films were only distributed by Disney anyways. If they put in the Toy Story characters, why not a Totoro ride? Disney distributes Studio Ghibli too.

Unfortunately, even I have to admit that while they're not very Disney, the Indiana Jones and Twilight Zone rides are pretty amazing. And Muppet*Vision was the best Muppet show I've seen, well, since Disney bought them. More to my annoyance, there's no getting rid of Pixar now, however much I want to.

I think there's a difference between area theme and ride theme. None of the parks nowadays follows the overall theme to the letter all the time, a lot of it is based on where they can fit a new ride in, and then theme comes into play. Though the Muppets don't represent Walt, they are in a theater, which can easily be retrofitted to fit the architecture surrounding it. There's no way they're going to alter their show until the movie is out. If it's a flop and they have something to replace it, they might. If its successful they'll probably pull a Star Tours 2.0 thing and simply update it.

Personally I've never understood some people's incredible distaste for the Muppets... but if the attraction is seriously under-preforming it would make sense for some form of update to it.

Of course, Cory doesn't go far enough either. We should get rid of any references to Pooh, because that was licensed from A.A. Milne's estate and was not actually created by Disney. And then we should ditch anything related to Mary Poppins, because that was licensed from P.L. Travers. Then we should drop Peter Pan, because the rights to that story was licensed from the Great Ormond Street Hospital....

I also agree that saying that the Muppets don't belong in the new DCA is just like saying that the Pixar characters shouldn't have a presence there either.

Just because they're retheming everything to the way California was during Walt's lifetime does not have mean that they should eliminate references to characters and properties that came into existence after Walt died.

Besides, Walt and Jim Henson were both very much alike in many ways. They were both beloved creative geniuses and innovators who wanted to help make the world a better place and bring happiness to others, among other things.

**Of course, Cory doesn't go far enough either. We should get rid of any references to Pooh, because that was licensed from A.A. Milne's estate and was not actually created by Disney. And then we should ditch anything related to Mary Poppins, because that was licensed from P.L. Travers. Then we should drop Peter Pan, because the rights to that story was licensed from the Great Ormond Street Hospital....**

No, Cory doesn't get it, any more than you do. I'll try to simplify things for you both...which is necessary, I suppose, for people still entertained by puppets: Walt Disney and his artists re-created the stories of Mary Poppins, Pinocchio, Pooh, The Jungle Book, etc. There are vast differences between the original versions and the Disney versions. However, the Muppets that are infesting the parks right now are still in their original forms. They have not been recreated and vastly improved by the Disney touch. There isn't a trace of the Disney magic anywhere on them, so therefore, they don't belong in a Disney park, anymore than a porta-potty belongs in the Louvre. Hope that clears it up for you.

Contrary to turning a blind eye to the theme of Cars Land, it is not set in California but Arizona and to state it is there because Route 66 is the gateway to California is a stretch to say the least. In a billion dollar revamp to make Disney California Adventure a more magical Disney experience of California, this theme, although large in scale, continues the confusion originally presented within this park. Bigger is not always better and when all is said and done and the perfect example of this is the sliced off rockwork facing much of the park which will be a wall and provide yet another visual intrusion, this time provided by the designers trying to hide such elements within this park. Will Cars Land be a success? The obvious answer is yes, however, this answer does not make it an appropriate theme supporting California and if done right, a consistent expansion supporting the California them of this park, if done right, would have been just as popular while significantly adding less confusion to the park. If the goal was to create unrelated theme lands such as those presented in Disneyland, this would have been a wise choice, however, that was not the goal of the billion-dollar make over. No matter how much we look forward to this expansion, its core theme is not and will not support the cohesive theme of Disney California Adventure.

As side note, the giant rockwork used in Cars Land could have been greatly reduced and considerable money saved an re money reallocated to provide more immersive themeing and details around the park, if money had been used to bury the massive power-lines visible throughout a majority of the park. This would have laid a foundation for all the visual intrusion these power-lines provide in many areas and made berms, foliage and appropriately placed elements to hide larger intrusions easier. This is limited thinking and now when expansions continue, major budget amounts will need to be used to continue on an enormous scale in an effort to hide these intruding elements.

"for people still entertained by puppets" Um, as opposed to what, people still entertained by cartoons? Honestly, I don't get the Muppet hate, I really don't. Thru the 70s and 80s, Jim Henson was arguably the closest thing we had to a modern-day Walt Disney (don't misinterpret that to mean I said they were equals). The Muppets are perfectly at home in the Disney family, even if Disney hasn't quite figured out how to duplicate the wit and charm they used to have.

Disney has been doing a great job of reviving not only the Muppet franchise, but also the charm and wit that they had in the early days. Things like the Muppets.com and YouTube viral videos are excellent proof of this.

Wow, these are some of the worst comments I have ever read. Some of you clowns really need to vet your work before posting it; and you other clowns that claim you know what Walt would approve of and dis-approve of really are clueless. NONE of you are remotely qualified to assert what he would approve or not. I'm also willing to bet that none of you have any theme park background, but are a bunch a overly opinionated losers. But then again, the clowns at TDC don't appear to be qualified either because DCA was already dreadfully shy of available real estate, by theme park standards (thanks to Eisner: the clueless ass); and the fact that they designed Cars-land to virtually consume the remaining available space for only two attractions, which proves my claim herein.